Eafael guastavino



Patented Feb. 9,- 1886 Il IlL-Illlllilll..

R. GUASTAVINO.

PIRE PROOF BUILDING.

(No Model.)

WIM/8558:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAFAEL GUASTAVINO, OF NEV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO FRANCESCA RAMIREZ GUASTAYINO AND BERNARD S. LEVY, BO'IH OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-PROOF BUILDING.

S-.ECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,047, dated February 9, 1886.

Application filed July 18, 1&5.

To all whom, z't may concern:

Beit known that I, RAFAEL GUAs'rAvIuo, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in FireProof Buildings, of which thc following is a specification.

My present invtnfion relates to the construction of fire-proof buildings, and it has ro special reference to the stairs of such buildings.

My invention is applicable to buildings ofall descriptions-such as private dwellings, factories, theaters, school-houses,warehouses, Src.

I5 The object of the invention is to devise a more economical plan of constructing the stairways of tire-proof buildings, and also to insure the production of' thoroughly substantial structures, which shall combine economy, so-

zo lidity,andincombustibility. Sfairways erected according to my invention are also comparatively light in weight. The vaults upon which the stairs are built are also free from the usual cavities and joints, and when completed have the appearance of solid stones without solution of continuity.

The features of novelty for which I desire protection are pointed out in the claims at the end of this description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this description, and in which like letters indicate llike features, Figure 1 shows a vertical section of a stairway embodying my invention, taken through the line A B, Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 is a face view of' one of the vaults, showing tiles of two layers arranged so as to break joints, and Fig. 5 is a crosssection of the stairway, taken through 4o the line C D, Fig. l.

l Ordinary brick are not well adapted for use in the erection of stairways according to my invention. I by preference use brick tile of about threefourths of an inch thick, about four to six inches wide, and from eight to twelve inches long.

The vaults supporting the stairs are composed of two or more layers of tiles set in cement or plaster-of-paris, and when such 5o layers are united together in such manner as to break joints a structure is produced having a surface without solution of continuity, and resembling a large stone of several inches in thickness.

The stairways may be constructed in a series 5.5 of flights, supported one above another, with landings on the lfloor of each story, or intermediate between the floors, or both, if' found desirable; or they may be in one continuous winding flight extending from bottom to top 6o of the building.

The stairway shown in Fig. l of the dravings may be of any practicable number of' feet in length. The foundation of this stairway (shown at E) is constructed of tiles and cement of suiicient thickness to afford a secure bearing. rlhe foot of the vault F rests in a depression in the foundation E, as shown, in which depression is the angle-iron b, which is of the saine length as the width of' the foot of 70 t-he vault F.

The vault F is, as stated, composed of two or more layers of' tile, as shown, which are united together by plasterot`paris or cement, and in such manner as to break joints, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The structure when completed in this manner is of great strength, and while considerably lighter than a stone or granite vault is equally as durable and much more economical.

Fig. 5 shows the form of the vault in crosssection, indicating particularly the curve of the vault from side to side and the angle-iron a, which is secured on the exposed edge of the vault for the purpose of protecting it. The platform or landing G is preferably of slate, and is supported upon a foundation, h, of tile set in cement, which rests upon the vault F. yThe steps H and risers J, which are also preferably of slate, are likewise supported on foundations, h, of tile set in cement erected upon the vault F, as shown. The tile composing the foundations 7L may be of two or more layers set in cement or plaster-of-paris, and which may be arranged so as to break joints. Vhen thus constructed, such foundations are essentially the same as solid stones and quite as durable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A vault for stairways, composed of two or more layers of brick tile united together l by cement or plaster-of-paris, substantially as set forth.

2. A vault for stairways, composed of two or more layers of brick tile united together so as to break joints by ceineut or plaster-ofparis, substantially as set forth.

3. A staircase having :t supporting-vault Composed of two or more layers of brick tile7 and step-supports, also composed of two or :more layers of brick tile, thetile in both cases being united together by cement or plasterof-paris, substantially as set forth.

4. A staircase consisting of a vault coinposed of two or more layers of brick tile, step supports, also of two or more layers of brick tile, the tile in both cases being united together by cement or plaster-of-paris, rand an ranged so as to break joints7 substantially as set forth.

5. A vault for stairways, composed of two or more layers of brick tile united together by cement or platster-ofparis7 in combination with thc angle-iron @substantially as set forth.

6. A vault for stair-ways, composed of two by cement or plaster-of-paris, in combination with a foundation, E, also composed of brick tile united together by cement or plaster-ofparis, substantially as set forth.

7. A Vault for stairways, composed of two or more layers of brick tile united together by cement or plasterbfparis, in combination with a foundation of brick tile, likewise united together by cement or plaster-of-paris, and an angle-iron, c, substantially as set forth.

8. A vault for stairways, composed of two or more layers of brick tile united together by cement or plaster-of-paris, in combination with the angle-iron b, substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 7 th day of July, A'. D. 1885.

RAFAEL GUAsTAVINo.

.or more layers of brick tile united together 

